


DeTension

by doorll



Category: Wasteland (1999)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Cheating, Detention, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-05
Updated: 2020-08-05
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25719124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/doorll/pseuds/doorll
Summary: “This is your fault.”“What do you mean this is my fault?”“I thought being an ‘A’ grade student would require the ability to READ!”“Y’know, you can’t exactly graduate without passing at least 4 core subjects.”“Because of you, I can’t.”
Relationships: Cliff Dobbs/Russell Baskind





	DeTension

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my friends Stacey and Nao for helping me write this little fic,   
> they don't have Ao3 account :/

“Where is he? That bitch better not flake out on me.” Russell sat up in his chair, checking his watch, it was nearly class time and he still hadn’t found sight of Cliff Dobbs. Y’see last Friday, Russell had given Cliff his history homework to do, it didn’t take a lot of convincing to convince a desperate nerd like Cliff but it’d all come down to whether Cliff will attend class or not.

While Russell was busy waiting for his homework to randomly appear on his table, he noticed a familiar boy entering the classroom, at last, there he was, Cliff Dobbs. However, he noticed something off about Cliff today, his hair was messy and was holding a blood-stained handkerchief to his nose. Russell figured that his clumsy ass probably walked into a wall.

Cliff walked towards Russell’s desk and sat next to him. “Finally,” Russell leaned towards Cliff’s desk, “You better have my homework done.”

“Yeah, yeah, here it is.” Cliff handed Russell a paper booklet that had many wrinkles on it. 

When Russell received the booklet he wanted to laugh, “When I gave you this to fill out, I’m pretty sure that it sure as hell didn’t look like this.” 

“Russell, I gave you the answers, please don’t give me shit for the paper being crumpled.” Cliff sighed tiredly, massaging his temples. Keeping the handkerchief on his nose, making sure that he doesn’t drip blood on the desk.

Russell clenched his jaw and rolled his eyes, he figured that he’ll let Cliff off easy today. 

**\---**

Mr Wilson glared at both boys. Cliff was looking anxiously at the floor, rubbing his left thumb with his other. And Russel, quite opposite, was looking up and showing a dirty scowl on his face, his right leg on his chair while the other rested on the floor.

“I believe you two know why I held you back,” Mr Wilson said sternly.

“What makes you think that it’s not a coincidence?” Russel exclaimed angrily.

“I don’t think the handwriting determines anything..” Cliff mumbled nervously.

Mr Wilson placed the two homework booklets on their desks, he gave them each other’s copy, “Question 1, Mr Dobbs, here, wrote: ‘The Spark that was Franz  Ferdinand's death caused World War 1’. Cliff readout Russell’s answer for question 2.” 

Cliff hastily opened the booklet and found the question, “‘The Spark that was Franz  Ferdinand’s death… caused W-World War 1…” He trailed off into mumbling towards the end.

  
Russell gave him a subtle look of disbelief, clenching his jaw to refrain from snapping.

The older man snickered mockingly, “Now,” He opened up Cliff’s copy of the homework, “Question 2 was talking about Syria and Germany’s relationship. Nothing about Franz Ferdinand.” 

The two boys went silent at that.

“Does anyone want to explain themselves?”

**\---**

“For cheating and making it stupidly obvious, you both stay here for an hour. Your parents will be informed.” Mr Wilson planted himself on the teacher’s desk. He brought with him a stack of paperwork to pass time. 

Russell slammed his fist on the desk, “But I have rehearsal!”

“Well then, you should’ve thought about that before having Clifton do your homework.” Mr Wilson then turned to Cliff, “Mr Dobbs, your hands aren’t clean either.”

Cliff’s ears turned a shade of red in embarrassment, he regretted agreeing to complete some kid’s homework. “Sorry?”

**...**

At this point in time, Mr Wilson had already dozed off 30 minutes into the session.

Russell leaned towards Cliff, “This is your fault.” 

“What do you mean this is my fault?”

“I thought being an ‘A’ grade student would require the ability to READ!”

“Y’know, you can’t exactly graduate without passing at least 4 core subjects.”

“Because of  _ you, _ I can’t.”

Then deafening silence filled the room. 

Cliff bit his lip and tightened his hands into fists, he knew that he couldn’t possibly throw a punch at Russell. So the best he could do was stay silent and wait till it’s over, like he’s always done. 

Russell then glanced over at Cliff, “Are you crying?”

“H-Huh?” Cliff touched his face. As he registered the tears flowing down his cheeks, he quickly wiped them away.

The blonde-haired boy smirked, “Aww, is wittle Clifton cwying?” He mocked him cheekily. 

Cliff swiftly turned away from him, still wiping his tears frantically. Russell seized his shoulders and forcefully turned Cliff around to face him. He kept casting away his face, and it only encouraged Russell to tease the boy further. He grabbed his wrists and forced him to open up his face. As he looked at the miserable brunette sitting in front of him, Russell rethought his initial sinister plans, was it really worth it? 

_ ‘I think I’ve gone too far,’  _ he thought to himself,  _ ‘Wait. What? Why am I..’ _

“Alright.” Mr Wilson awoke from his slumber. He glanced over at Russell, then at Cliff, and shrugged to himself. “You two are free to go. But don’t go doing the same thing all over again, alright?”

Cliff pulled his hands away from Russell and turned around just enough so that Mr Wilson wouldn’t see his tear-stained face.

“Won’t happen again, sir,” Russell replied.

“Dobbs?”

Cliff nodded understandingly, they made a beeline out of the classroom. 

“Hey, you okay?” Russell reached out to catch hold of Cliff, for Cliff seemed to have one motive and it was to get out of school.

Cliff swatted Russell’s hand away, 

“Whatever happened in there, never happened.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> haha, a CLIFFhanger.


End file.
